MY UNCLE MAKES A GREAT DISCOVERYLookingbacktoallthathasoccurredtomesincethateventfulday,Iamscarcelyabletobelieveintherealityofmyadventures.TheyweretrulysowonderfulthatevennowIambewilderedwhenIthinkofthem.MyunclewasaGerman,havingmarriedmymother'ssister,anEnglishwoman.Beingverymuchattachedtohisfatherlessnephew,heinvitedmetostudyunderhiminhishomeinthefatherland.Thishomewasinalargetown,andmyuncleaprofessorofphilosophy,chemistry,geology,mineralogy,andmanyotherologies.Oneday,afterpassingsomehoursinthelaboratory—myunclebeingabsentatthetime—Isuddenlyfeltthenecessityofrenovatingthetissues—i.e.,Iwashungry,andwasabouttorouseupouroldFrenchcook,whenmyuncle,ProfessorVonHardwigg,suddenlyopenedthestreetdoor,andcamerushingupstairs.NowProfessorHardwigg,myworthyuncle,isbynomeansabadsortofman;heis,however,cholericandoriginal.Tobearwithhimmeanstoobey;andscarcelyhadhisheavyfeetresoundedwithinourjointdomicilethanheshoutedformetoattenduponhim."Harry—Harry—Harry—"Ihastenedtoobey,butbeforeIcouldreachhisroom,jumpingthreestepsatatime,hewasstampinghisrightfootuponthelanding."Harry!"hecried,inafrantictone,"areyoucomingup?"Nowtotellthetruth,atthatmomentIwasfarmoreinterestedinthequestionastowhatwastoconstituteourdinnerthaninanyproblemofscience;tomesoupwasmoreinterestingthansoda,anomelettemoretemptingthanarithmetic,andanartichokeoftentimesmorevaluethananyamountofasbestos.Butmyunclewasnotamantobekeptwaiting;soadjourningthereforeallminorquestions,Ipresentedmyselfbeforehim.Hewasaverylearnedman.Nowmostpersonsinthiscategorysupplythemselveswithinformation,aspeddlersdowithgoods,forthebenefitofothers,andlayupstoresinordertodiffusethemabroadforthebenefitofsocietyingeneral.Notsomyexcellentuncle,ProfessorHardwigg;hestudied,heconsumedthemidnightoil,heporedoverheavytomes,anddigestedhugequartosandfoliosinordertokeeptheknowledgeacquiredtohimself.Therewasareason,anditmayberegardedasagoodone,whymyuncleobjectedtodisplayhislearningmorethanwasabsolutelynecessary:hestammered;andwhenintentuponexplainingthephenomenaoftheheavens,wasapttofindhimselfatfault,andalludeinsuchavaguewaytosun,moon,andstarsthatfewwereabletocomprehendhismeaning.Totellthehonesttruth,whentherightwordwouldnotcome,itwasgenerallyreplacedbyaverypowerfuladjective.Inconnectionwiththesciencestherearemanyalmostunpronounceablenames—namesverymuchresemblingthoseofWelshvillages;andmyunclebeingveryfondofusingthem,hishabitofstammeringwasnottherebyimproved.Infact,therewereperiodsinhisdiscoursewhenhewouldfinallygiveupandswallowhisdiscomfiture—inaglassofwater.AsIsaid,myuncle,ProfessorHardwigg,wasaverylearnedman;andInowaddamostkindrelative.Iwasboundtohimbythedoubletiesofaffectionandinterest.Itookdeepinterestinallhisdoings,andhopedsomedaytobealmostaslearnedmyself.Itwasararethingformetobeabsentfromhislectures.Likehim,Ipreferred